MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1986
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NATIONALITY ISSUES UNDER SERIOUS CONSIDERATION
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THE UK GOVERNMENT IS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING THE REQUESTS MADE BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OVER THE NATIONALITY ISSUE BUT NO DECISION HAS YET BEEN TAKEN, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM LONDON, SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY SAID THAT PROVIDING A SATISFACTORY FORMULA COULD BE FOUND, THEY WOULD AGREE TO AN ENDORSEMENT IN THE NEW BN(0) PASSPORTS MAK ING IT CLEAR THAT ENTRY VISAS WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED BY BONA FIDE VISITORS TO THE UK.
+ I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A FURTHER TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THAT,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
+ON THE OTHER ISSUES WHICH ARE MORE COMPLICATED, I WAS ABLE TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S ALL BEING VERY SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED IN LONDON AT THIS TIME, BUT NO DECISION HAS YET BEEN TAKEN.+
ON WHETHER HE HAD DISCUSSED CONTROLS OF BANKS IN HONG KONG WITH OFFICIALS OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND, SIR EDWARD SAID HE ALWAYS WENT TO SEE THE BANK OF ENGLAND WHEN HE WAS IN LONDON FOR A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL SITUATION.
SAID.
+BUT WE WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY SPECIFIC MEASURES,+ HE
AS FOR WHETHER THERE WAS A SECRET REPORT ON THE BANKING SITUATION IN HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH SECRET REPORT.
RECOUNTING HIS TRIP TO LONDON, SIR EDWARD SAID HE HAD HAD A BUSY WEEK THERE SEEING FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIALS: THE SECRETARY OF STATE, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE* AND THE MINISTER OF STATE, MR TIMOTHY RENTON.
+THE MAIN PURPOSE THERE WAS TO GIVE THEM AN UP-TO-DATE BRIEFING ON DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG SINCE I WAS LAST IN THE UK, HE SAID.
+THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED AND CONCERNED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF THE ECONOMY, HOW THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS SETTLING DOWN, THE STATE OF OPINION GENERALLY, AND ALSO THE PREPARATIONS AND WORK WHICH IS BEING DONE IN HONG KONG ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
+NATURALLY I ALSO WENT TO THE HOME OFFICE AND SAW HOME OFFICE
MINISTERS.
+YOU KNOW.